I tripped a little farther down the slope today

[Matt Ranum]

I went to a small town local antique auction this morning and couldn't help myself. Picked up some pretty rough planes but figured I could make some users out of them. Got a "Trustworthy" #4 in size, never heard of that name before but it isn't in as bad a shape as the pics make it out to be. Then a type 10(I think) Bailey with 3 patent dates. I have another here at home with a cracked bed and this bed aint too bad outside of the rust. Then a #26 transitional. A wooden try plane thats basically shot but maybe I can use it as a pattern and reuse the iron on a new one. Also there is a #105 Liberty Bell Stanley and my oh my that needs work but surprisingly everything works, shes gonna end up in the bead blaster I think. 2 block planes, no names on them. All those were in 1 lot that I got for $22.00, and then I picked up 3 spokeshaves for another $12.00. There was some other stuff, like draw knives bringing $7.00 but I figured I had enough and to get outa there. First time I was there and they hold these at least twice a month. I may have to go back.

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[Brian Kent]

Nice haul, Matt.

At that price you can afford to risk and see what is in there under all the "patina" (rust). I look forward to seeing what you get as you open the presents and se the metal inside.:D

[David Keller NC]

"Also there is a #105 Liberty Bell Stanley and my oh my that needs work but surprisingly everything works, shes gonna end up in the bead blaster I think."

While what you have has little collector's value (they want them uncleaned, but also pristine - that's a hard combination to come by at a flea market), they certainly have user's value, and I've a suggestion for you that will be a lot gentler on the tools than a bead blaster.

Go to the local home-brew supply house and pick up a packet of citric acid. Dissolve about a tablespoon in a quart of hot tap water in a mason jar. Drop the metal parts to your tools in this, and wait about 4 hours. The rust will be magically gone without messing up the remaining steel or any remaining japanning. You can then assess whether you want to do any surface abrasion (scoth-brite pad, sandpaper, bead-blaster, etc...)

I suspect you'll find that you need to do little except remove some pitting on the back of the blades (which should be done on a flat honing stone, sandpaper on a granite surface plate, diamond plate, etc...) to get them to work well.

[Matt Ranum]

Actually thats what it is in now as I type. I started the cleanup last night with different batches some in vinegar and some in citric acid. I've done the citric acid before and its always worked well but wanted to compare with the vinegar this time. So far I don't see much difference besides the vinegar being a little faster. I wasn't going to do any blasting until I got them cleaned up to see what was really there.

I didn't figure much for value on any of them, just to make decent users out of them. The old Bailey is going to turn out pretty decent once I swap some parts and the "Trustworthy" brand came out better than I thought too. The finish on the knob and tote of the Trustworthy though is going to have to be stripped I think. Peels right off in spots then is tough as nails in others.

The largest spokeshave is a Bailey, and looks like a patent date of 1858 but thats really faint. Can't see any marks at all on the blade though. The 2 larger shaves cleaned up nice the smallest is still soaking and the screw is stuck yet.

I'll post some clean up pics either later today or soon after.

[Bill Keehn]

Matt have you tried electrolytic rust removal yet? It works wonders, especially if want to preserve the markings.

[Matt Ranum]

No I haven't tried that yet but want to. I gotta do it outside and its been to say the least ccccold here lately been lucky to make it over 10* except for the last day or so. I figure I'll wait till spring before I try that.

I don't have much for valuable planes, just ones I like to keep original like 3,4,5,& 8 type 9 Baileys, and even those only have about 60% of their japanning left but I love just the same. I only have 1 that will be worth anything if I can ever afford the parts I need and that a type 2 #2, its missing the lever cap, chip breaker and iron. I missed a junker on ebay about a year ago that had those parts but alas I didn't get it.:rolleyes: Sooner or later I figure I'll stumble onto one.

Question though, has anyone ever heard of a company called RHSB & CO.? Thats whats stamped on the toe of that transitional in the pics above. 2 lines and very faint but the first letter "R" covers both lines with a large font and then the top line reads after the large R,"HSB & CO." and the bottom line reads after the R, "EVONOE". The last 3 letters are very faint but I think thats what it is. On the iron all I can make out is the large "R".

[Matt Ranum]

Well this is about as far as I'm going to go with some of these, as a whole they didn't turn out too bad and should make some decent users. The Liberty bell I'm undecided what I'm going to do with that yet, the hold down has been welded and it needs more tote repair and maybe I'll try my hand putting a fresh coat of black down.

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[David Keller NC]

"The largest spokeshave is a Bailey, and looks like a patent date of 1858 but thats really faint."

Hmm - That's intriguing. Stanley produced a lot of tools that were embossed with "Bailey" and the patent date, and were produced in great numbers and so don't have much collector's value.

However, one of Leonard Bailey's original tools before he sold the rights to Stanley is worth a small fortune. It might pay to look up some type studies to figure it out.

[Bill Keehn]

Those cleaned up pretty nice Matt. What all did you do to them yet?

I do electrolysis in the garage. House didn't blow up yet, but I can keep hoping ;).

[Matt Ranum]

Basically I left them in a citric acid bath(white distilled vinegar) for a day. Brushed off the loose stuff and let them soak for a couple hours then took a brass brush to 'em but these all needed to sit for at least 8-10 hours then I transfer them to another tub with warm water in it and brush them off again with the brass brush. Dry them off and immediately coat them with 3 in 1 oil.

I did a comparison with the vinegar to alka seltzer and the vinegar was definately faster but the end results the same.

[Matt Ranum]

"The largest spokeshave is a Bailey, and looks like a patent date of 1858 but thats really faint."

Hmm - That's intriguing. Stanley produced a lot of tools that were embossed with "Bailey" and the patent date, and were produced in great numbers and so don't have much collector's value.

However, one of Leonard Bailey's original tools before he sold the rights to Stanley is worth a small fortune. It might pay to look up some type studies to figure it out.


Where can I find out about that? Plane info is easy to come by but spokeshaves seems to be much harder. At least for me.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Matt, all you ever wanted to know about spokeshaves and then some is readily available in Thomas Lamond's book MANUFACTRURED AND PATENTED SPOKES & SIMILAR TOOLS. You can order it through some of the catalog houses or from Tom directly though it's a bit on the expensive side, around $65-70 if I recall correctly.

[Wilbur Pan]

Basically I left them in a citric acid bath(white distilled vinegar) for a day.

Not to be too much of a chemistry nerd, but vinegar is acetic acid. The principle is the same, though.

Very nice work on the restorations!

[Matt Ranum]

Not to be too much of a chemistry nerd, but vinegar is acetic acid. The principle is the same, though.

Very nice work on the restorations!


Huh I didn't know that I thought it was citric.

Thanks for the info.

[Matt Ranum]

Matt, all you ever wanted to know about spokeshaves and then some is readily available in Thomas Lamond's book MANUFACTRURED AND PATENTED SPOKES & SIMILAR TOOLS. You can order it through some of the catalog houses or from Tom directly though it's a bit on the expensive side, around $65-70 if I recall correctly.


I never heard of it, Thanks!

[Chuck Tringo]

Huh I didn't know that I thought it was citric.

Thanks for the info.

Nope, that's in lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruit, etc...hence citrus fruit :p

[David Keller NC]

Some additional nerdy chemistry info - Most so-called "weak" acids can be used to effectively clean up rust on steel and iron without severely affecting the underlying un-oxidized metals. Most strong acids will eat the rust and the iron/steel as well.

Some common examples of weak acids are citric, acetic, acetosalicylic (aspirin), carbonic, phosphoric, and oxalic. Some common examples of strong acids are nitric, hydrochloric (the impure grade is sold as "muriatic acid") and sulfuric (battery acid). One caution - some of the "weak" acids will badly burn your skin if concentrated enough, despite their name, and oxalic acid is poisonous if ingested.